Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File S. 875, Henry Freeman, New Jersey Privateer

SERVICE
NUMBER _____
New Jersey Privateer
Freeman, Henry
S. 875
Carded
CONTENTS

966 5  Wm. J. Mathis March 23 1842  New Jersey  Henry Sherman of Woodbridge in the State of N. Jersey who was a Trifer - in the Company commanded by Captain Hadden of the Reg't commanded by Col. Hamm in the N. Jersey - line for 20 months
Inscribed on the Roll of New Jersey at the rate of 73 Dollars 20 Cents per annum, to commence on the 4th day of March, 1831.
Certificate of Pension issued the 6 day of June  1833 and sent to the Rev. David  Reuben
Arrears to the 4th of Mar: '33 $46.40 Semi-ant. allowance ending 4th: '33 36.60  $183.00
Recorded by C. E. Miles Clerk Book 6 Vol. 3 Page 111  { Revolutionary Claim, } { Act June 7, 1832. }

Copy of letter.
Pen. Off. Mar. 23, 1842
Sir,
I have the honor to transmit to you copies of the papers in the cases of ---- Henry Freeman and to make the following report ---- .
There were two Henry Freemans from N. Jersey who asserted successfully claims under the act of 7 June '32 one for 19 mos. & the other for 20 mos as privates. One died on 29 Jan '35 and the other is supposed to be dead as he has not drawn his stipend since 4 March 1835. It does not appear that any widow has presented a claim for the service of either.
To Hon J. Matthiot Comm. Rev. pens H. R.

75-24
Henry Freeman
9 March 1831
Obj: 14. 16
Hon. J. F. Randolph Present
P. 287
368 24 7320
Σ

BRIEF in the case of Henry Freeman County of Woodstock in the State of New Jersey (Act 7th June, 1832.)
 1. Was the declaration made before a Court or a Judge? a In case  2. If before a Judge, does it appear that the applicant is disabled by bodily infirmity? yes  3. How old is he? 72 years  4. State his service, as directed in the form annexed. 
   Period. Duration of Service. Rank. Names of General and Field Officers under whom he served.   Years, Months, Days.     In 1776 3 Musician Gen. Washington Col. Freeman   78 1 " Capt. Freeman   He entered in Co. A the Soldier Capt. Riche   By Gen. Washington   1st March 1780 6 Sergeant Capt. Freeman   1781 9 " Capt. Randolph  
5. In what battles was he engaged? Long Island, White Plains, Trenton & Princeton
6. Where did he reside when he entered the service? Meadville Co. New Jersey
7. Is his statement supported by living witnesses, by documentary proof, by traditional evidence, by incidental evidence, or by the rolls? By living witnesses
8. Are the papers defective as to form or authentication? and if so, in what respect?  The Papers are not attached with the required
I Certify that the foregoing statement and the answers agree with the evidence in the case above mentioned.
Richard Catter Examining Clerk.

Declaration of Henry Freeman in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832
State of New Jersey } Middlesex County }
On this twenty eighth day of August AD 1832 personally appeared before me Deborah Patter one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas in and for said County of Middlesex Henry Freeman a resident of the Township of Woodbridge in the County and State aforesaid aged Seventy two years in No o meal who being duly sworn according to Law doth on his oath make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the act of Congress passed June 7 th 1832 saith that he was born in the Township of Woodbridge the 2 nd day of November AD 1760 & that Woodbridge has been his place of residence from his birth until this time That his birth was recorded both in his fathers bible and in his own bible That your Applicant enlisted in the U. States service in the year 1776 as a musician being a fifer under Capt Thomas Hadden Ralph Monk & David Edgar were Lieutenants in Col. Formans Reg t of five months men and was in the battle on Long Island & was within a few feet of Col. G. Martin when he was wounded in the battle was at the battle at the White Plains & retreated with Washingtons army through the Jerseys the latter part of the campaign & went on to Philadelphia and was with our army after the five months out at the battles of Trenton & Princeton

then returned home & in 1778 he served a tour of duty about a month under Capt Matthew Freeman in the Militia and marched to Monmouth and was in the battle at that place after that tour of duty your applicant went with some other young men to Philadelphia & shipped with Capt Rice who commanded the Brig Genl Howe of 14 or 16 carriage guns & sailed on a cruise intended for three months but after being at sea a short time fell in with a British fleet and was taken by the Iris Frigate & taken into New York & your applicant was confined on board the prison ship called Old Jersey the time not distinctly recollected but thinks three or four months in the year 1780 he served a tour of six months as fifer under Capt Matthew Freeman who was stationed at Woodbridge to guard the lines procure intelligence & had frequent skirmishes with parties of the enemy which crossed from Staten Island the year following he enlisted under Capt Fisher H. Randolph stationed at the same place for the same object that Capt Freeman had been the year before & served out his tour of nine months as a fifer - your applicant was put under instruction to learn the profession of musician by Genl. S. Heard at the commencement of the said war when he was young about 15 years of age and he served as a fifer for various recruiting parties and at very many other musters on alarms & out on short tours of duty (no other fifer having his residence at Woodbridge) so that he was most of his time during the revolutionary war employed in the service of his country
Sworn to & subscribed the day and year aforesaid Richard Potter
Henry Freeman Senr and the said Henry Freeman hereby renounces every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present and declares that his name is not on the pension rolls of the agency of any state Henry Freeman

We William B. Barton a clergyman residing in Woodbridge and John E. Barron of the same place hereby certify that we are well acquainted with Henry Freeman Sen. who has subscribed & sworn to the above declaration & we believe him to be about seventy two years of age and that he is reputed and believed in the neighbourhood where he resides to have been a soldier of the Revolution & that we concur in that opinion
Sworn and subscribed the day of William B. Barton and year aforesaid John E. Barron Jehabab Potter
And the said Jehabab Potter judge as aforesaid doth hereby declare his opinion after the investigation of the matter and after putting the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department that the above applicant was a revolutionary soldier or musician and served as he states - and he further certifies that William B. Barton who has signed the preceding certificate is a clergyman & pastor of the first Presbyterian congregation at Woodbridge consequently resident there and that John E. Barron who has also signed the same is the post master at Woodbridge and is a credible person and that their statement is entitled to full credit - and I do further certify that from bodily infirmity of both the said Henry Freeman and several of his witnesses they were unable to attend the County Court without manifest pain and difficulty In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand the day & year aforesaid
Jehabab Potter

J. H. Mansdalen clerk of the Court of common pleas in & for the County of Middlesex in the State of New Jersey do hereby certify that Deborah Potter who has signed the foregoing proceedings is one of the judges of the aforesaid Court & that her signature annexed is her genuine signature and I do further certify that Richard Marsh who has taken oaths of the affidavits is a justice of the peace in & for the County aforesaid & that the signature annexed to the second is his genuine signature In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this first day of September in the year of our Lord Eighteen hundred and Thirty two J. H. Mansdalen Clerk
Note by J Potter it will be observed that some of the affidavits in support of the applicant's claim were taken some time past which were then taken with a view of applying to Congress for a special Act for relief & I presume they are equally authentic as they would be if taken at this time

State of New Jersey Middlesex County
Personally appeared before me Ichabod Potter and of the judges of the court of common pleas in & for the county of Middlesex, New Jersey Randolph Clarkson being duly sworn according to law did depose & say that he is well acquainted with Henry Freeman but and the said Freeman was enlisted under Capt Thomas Read in 1776 a ministering officer in Col. Furman's regiment & served a term of five months & was at the battle on Long Island & the White Plains & with the Commander in chief when he retreated through the Jerseys He went on to Philadelphia with some prisoners & that has frequently seen him and on duty as a fifer at different times since
Subscribed & sworn before me this 11 day of August A.D. 1832
Randolph Clarkson
Ichabod Potter

New Jersey } Personally came before me Middlesex County } Richard Warke one of the Justices of the Peace in and for the County of Middlesex Thomas Lee who being duly sworn saith that he knows Henry Freeman who is now living and knows that he was in the five months service in the time of the Revolutionary War Sworn and subscribed before me this 14th day of December 1830 Thomas Lee
Richard Warke
State of New Jersey
Essex County } Henry Willis being duly sworn before me Oliver Nuttman one of Justices of the Peace in and for said County, upon his oath deposeth and saith that Henry Freeman was a Soldier in the revolutionary army, under Capt. Hadden, Ralph Marlow, Lieut. David Edge. that he served under them five months, that he then enlisted for six months, under Capt. Mat- thias Freeman, whom he served for the said six months, and further saith not.
Henry Willis
Subscribed and sworn before me this 7th day of Decemr. 1830
Oliver Nuttman Justice of the Peace
* Matthew

State of New Jersey Middlesex County } ss
August 28 1832
at the time time, Timothy North came before me & being duly sworn according to Law did depose and say that he is well acquainted with Henry Freeman called generally fifer Henry he recollects that he was one of the first fifers in the Militia at Woodbridge at the commencement of the Revolutionary war & that he went out in service under Capt. T. Hadden in a tour of duty to Long Island in 1776 saw him march off on that service & has frequently seen him out on duty as fifer and recollects of his coming home after being on board the prison ship in New York & at that time understood that he had been confined as a prisoner in said ship the time not recollected but was in the time of said war

was this deponent now being sixty five years of age & was then a strong boy & has a perfect recollection of many events which transpired at that time
Sworn to substance and — Sworn before me the day aforesaid }
Finis O'Byrne
Thomas Peller

7524. Application of Henry Freeman of Woodbridge, Iowa, to the Department of War for a pension under the act of Congress passed June 7 1832

of his carrying the principal part of the Revolu- -tionary war & further saith not Subscribed & sworn before me the eighth day of August A. D. 1832 } Jonathan Freeman
Isaac Patten
at the same time Henry Freeman before the Comr Esquire personally appeared before me & being duly sworn saith that he is a neighbour to the said Henry Freeman called Major Henry Freeman & referred to in the foregoing affidavit & is well acquainted with him & that he has good reason from his own recollections to believe that the facts set forth in the foregoing affidavit of Jonathan Freeman are substantially true & correct that said Henry Freeman has gone by the name of Major Henry since the revolutionary war from the circumstance of his serving as as a part of said war in that capacity & he this deponent recollects himself of his being out in the service most of the time aforesaid but cannot state many particular circumstances however this deponent knows of his being a prisoner & that he got home after being exchanged He thinks the same summer that Capt Nathaniel H. Randolph was killed in a battle near Ely Town Subscribed & sworn before me the 8 th day of August 1832
Henry Freeman
Isaac Patten

State of New Jersey Middlesex County } ss
Personally came before me Deborah Paton one of the judges of the court of common pleas in for said County of Middlesex Jonathan Freeman & being duly sworn according to law did depose & say that he is well acquainted with Henry Freeman being born in the Town- ship of Woodbridge in the County aforesaid both the said H. Freeman & his dependant which place has always been their place of residence & that he recollects that H. Freeman as a musician being a fifer (at the time but a lad of about sixteen years of age) went under General Wash- ington at the commencement of the Revolutionary war and heard with a detachment of several hundred Militia & volunteers in an expedition to Long Island & disarmed the enemy which was a tour of about two weeks - & that he enlisted in the five months service under Col. Putnam & marched under him & Long Island & was in the battle on said Island under the command in chief Genl Washington & served out said term of five months & after- wards he went to sea as a hand in an armed Vessel from Philadelphia and was taken prisoner by a British ship & was confined on board the Prison ship in New York harbour for a consid- -able time not less than three months & was exchanged and afterwards he served under Captains Matthew Freeman in a tour of several months and afterwards under Capt. Asher P. Randolph during a term of six or nine months said Capt. Freeman & Randolph had special commands at Woodbridge to guard the lines & that he was out in the service of his country

I do hereby certify that Randolph Clarkson Timothy Herbert Jonathan Freeman Henry Freeman the 3 rd who have made affidavits before me relative to the Revolutionary services of Henry Freeman his are all known to me to be men of good character for honesty & truth & that full credit may be given to their testimony In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this first day of June A D 1833
Ichabod Potter Judge

State of N. Jersey
I Nicholas B. Moore Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the County of Middlesex do hereby certify that Scholard Peter Esqr before whom the foregoing Proceedings were had was at the time of taking them and still is a Judge of the

Court of Common Pleas and a Justice of the peace in and for the said County of Middlesex duly com- missioned and sworn and that when official acts pass forth since issuance is given, and that I am acquainted with the handwriting of the said Judge and believe the signature attesting the said application to be her true and proper signature
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Seal of said County this third day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty three
N. Morrison Clerk

I hereby certify that I have never received the certificate in the case of Henry Freeman, of New Jersey, admitted as a Pensioner on the 5th or 6th of June last.
Washington, Aug. 14, 1833.
James F. Randolph, Agent for said Freeman.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Washington, D. C., _____, 19_____
In reply to your request of _____, received _____ for a statement of the military history of Henry Freeman a soldier of the REVOLUTIONARY WAR, you will find below the desired information as contained in his (or his widow's) application for pen- sion on file in this Bureau.
   DATES OF ENLISTMENT OR APPOINTMENT. LENGTH OF SERVICE. RANK. OFFICERS UNDER WHOM SERVICE WAS RENDERED. STATE.   CAPTAIN. COLONEL.     1776 5 mos. Fifer Thomas Hadden Forman N.J.   1778 1 mo. Matthew Freeman   Afterwards went to Phila & shipped with Capt. Rice on the Big Eagle was captured by the Brit. frigate taken to New York & confined on the prison ship Old Jersey 3 or 4 mos.   1780 6 mos Fifer Matthew Freeman   1781 9 mos " Asher T. Randolph  
Battles engaged in, Long Island White Plains Trenton Princeton Germantown
Residence of soldier at enlistment, Woodbridge Middlesex Co. N.J.
Date of application for pension, Aug. 28 1852 He was al.
Residence at date of application, Woodbridge Twp. Middlesex Co. N.J.
Age at date of application, born Oct. 2 1760 in Woodbridge Twp. N.J.
Remarks: There is no data on file as to his family.
Respectfully,
Commissioner.

June 20, 1917.
Mr. Horatio F. Taylor, 500 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, New York.
Sir:
In response to your letter dated the 13" instant, you are herewith furnished the Revolutionary War pension record of Henry Freeman, S. File No. 875, and are advised that in order to obtain the date of the last payment of pension and name of person to whom it was paid you should forward this letter to the Auditor for the Interior Department, Washington, D. C.
" Henry Freeman, Certificate No. 9,665 issued June 8, 1833, at $73.20 per annum from March 4, 1831, Act June 7, 1832, New Jersey Agency."
The only other Revolutionary War pensioner named Henry Freeman ( S. File No. 2,565 ) found on the records of this Bureau was born July 9, 1761 in Woodbridge Township, Middlesex County, New Jersey, and died January 29, 1835. His children are referred to but no names are stated, and there is no other data on file as to his family.
Very respectfully,
E. C. Sieman
Acting Commissioner.

Henry Freeman N.Y. p. 73. 20 - last p. 2?
21. aug '42
p. 4 th March 1838
SH
GMB

Henry Struman
# 2565
Payments to be made at Trenton, N. J. by Rev. John B. Van Brunt Agent for paying Pension- ers, in the Agency of
New Jersey
Henry Struman
Duplicate Certificate issued to Hon. J. T. Randolph his certificate filed with papers.
Recorded in the Pension Of- fice, in Book E Vol. 3 Page 111 by G. A. [unclear] Clerk.

WAR DEPARTMENT.
Revolutionary Claim.
I certify that, in conformity with the law of the United States of the 7th June, 1832, Henry Freeman — of the State of New Jersey — who was a Fifer in the Revolutionary army —
is entitled to receive seventy three — dollars and twenty cents per annum, during his natural life, commencing on the 4th of March, 1831, and payable semi-annually on the 4th of March, and 4th of September, in every year.
GIVEN at the War Office of the United States, this 17 th — day of August one thousand eight hundred and thirty- three .
Lewis Cass Secretary of War.
Examined and Countersigned. }
J. Edwards Commissioner of Pensions.

Sept 9. 1833 Paid to Sept 4. 1833 Mar 13. 1834 Paid to Mar 4. 1834 Sept 6. 1834 Paid to Sept 4. 1834 Mar 7 1835 Paid to Mar 4 1835 • Sep 10 1835 Paid to Sep 4 1835 Mar 9 1836 Paid to Mar 4 1836 Sep 13 1836 Paid to Sep 4 1836 • Apr 2 Paid to 4 Mar 1837 Paid to 4 Sep 1837 Paid to 4 Mar 1838

Rev. Sect. 1 com R
500 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y.
June 12, 1917.
Commissioner, Department of the Interior, Bureau of Pensions, Revolutionary War, Record Section, Washington, D.C.
Dear Sir:
Will you kindly inform me whether Henry Freeman, or his wife, Susanne Freeman, of Woodbridge Middlesex County, New Jersey, applied for a pension for his service in the Revolutionary War.
Henry Freeman was born November 2, 1760, died March 27, 1838.
Susanne Bloodgood, his wife, was born January 29, 1765, died May 13, 1807 - they were married November 8, 1784.
He served as a fifer in the First Regiment, Middlesex County, New Jersey, or in the State Troops of Capt. Ascher F. Randolph, New Jersey.
In looking up this matter will you kindly inform me if there was any other Henry Freeman of Middlesex County who served in the Revolutionary War, or applied for a pension.

Commissioner Dept. of the Interior Bureau of Pensions, Revolutionary War Record Section Washington, D.C.
-2-
June 12, 1917.
I am a direct descendent of the above Henry Freeman, and would like the information in order to verify my eligibility for the "Sons of the American Revolution."
Thanking you in advance, I am,
Yours very truly,
Horatio F. Taylor.

19/7 June 20 Hist. to Horatio F. Taylor also defacto apply to Rad. for Int. Dept.
New War.
INVALID.
File No. 875 Henry Sherman Staten N. J. Line.
Act: June 7, 1882.
Index:—Vol. a , Page 181
[Arrangement of 1870.]
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